The Longtime Owner Occupants Program (LOOP) is a Real Estate Tax relief program for eligible homeowners whose property assessments increased by 50% or more from last year or 75% over the past five years. Participants must also fall within income limits and meet length of home ownership requirements.
LOOP works by:
- Limiting your home’s assessment increase to 1.5 times (50%), or 1.75 (75%) and
- Locking in that assessment for as long as you remain eligible.
That means that if the assessment of your home increased by exactly 50% or exactly 75%, you will not save money right away. Homeowners will see savings for each dollar increase above 50% or 75%. You could also save money in the future if your property assessment goes up again, because your Real Estate Taxes will be based on the “locked-in” assessment.
In the future, your Real Estate Tax bill with LOOP may change if the Real Estate Tax rate changes.
Eligibility
You must meet the following requirements to be eligible for LOOP:
- You are a homeowner whose primary residence’s assessment increased by 50% from last year OR 75% in the last five years.
- You have lived in your home for 10 years or more.
- Your property taxes must be current, or you must be in an Owner-Occupied Payment Agreement or installment plan.
- Your income must fall below the limit set for your family size.
| Family size | Income cap |
|---|---|
| 1 person | $96,100 |
| 2 people | $109,800 |
| 3 people | $123,550 |
| 4 people | $137,250 |
| 5 people | $148,250 |
| 6 people | $159,250 |
| 7 people | $170,200 |
| 8 people | $181,200 |
| 9 people | $192,150 |
| 10 people | $203,150 |
| 11 people | $214,150 |
| 12 people | $225,100 |
| 13 people | $236,100 |
| 14 people | $247,050 |
A trust can sometimes be eligible for LOOP. The Department of Revenue’s legal team reviews LOOP applications submitted by trusts, and may request additional information as part of the process.
If you meet these requirements, please submit a LOOP application online through the “Search for a property” link on the Philadelphia Tax Center, under the “Property” panel. You don’t need to create a Tax Center username and password to submit an electronic application to this program.
You can also fill out a LOOP application and mail it to:
Philadelphia Department of Revenue
PO Box 53250
Philadelphia, PA 19105
Once you qualify for LOOP you don’t have to reapply; it will be automatically applied to your Real Estate Tax bill each year.
You can add and remove family members to your deed if they die, move in, or move out, without affecting your LOOP status, as long as you still meet the income requirements.
Opting out of LOOP
You become ineligible for LOOP if you:
- No longer live in the home, or
- Your family’s income is above the income limit, or
- Are delinquent on Real Estate Taxes that are not in a payment agreement.
- If you no longer meet the eligibility requirements for LOOP you must alert the Department of Revenue within 45 days using the LOOP Removal Form, which must be printed, filled out, and mailed to the address on the form.
You cannot enroll in LOOP and the Homestead Exemption at the same time. Before applying for LOOP, estimate your Real Estate Tax bill with both LOOP and the Homestead Exemption.
The LOOP flyer can help you understand how much your Real Estate Tax bill would be with each program. To determine if you qualify for LOOP, you will need your current and previous five-year assessments. You can find these values at property.phila.gov.
If you enter into LOOP and then leave the program, you cannot re-enter LOOP later. (You may re-apply if you qualify again in the future for a different year’s assessment.)
Only you can decide which program is best for your household. You may need to evaluate what matters most to you: savings now or savings in the future
You can still apply for the Low Income Senior Tax Freeze program, installment plans, the Owner-Occupied Payment Agreement, and any other local or state Real Estate Tax assistance programs, including rebates.
Paying Real Estate Taxes when you have LOOP and are in an Installment Agreement
Once you are approved for LOOP, you will receive new monthly coupons reflecting the discounted amount and how much you have already paid. Until then, you may either pay the monthly amount listed on your original coupon book or divide the LOOP discounted tax amount by 12 and pay that amount each month.
Program cap
The total LOOP savings available for 2023 is $35 million. If more than $35 million in savings is requested and approved, you may have your discount reduced and could owe more in Real Estate Taxes. Enrollment in LOOP does not close when the $35 million cap is met.